41-year-old trader remanded for duping police officer of generator plant worth $15K

A 41-year-old trader, Jeffrey Owusu, has been remanded by the Circuit Court in Accra for allegedly duping a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) of his caterpillar D343 generator plant valued at $15,000

This was after Owusu, who was arraigned on Tuesday, April 11, pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretences, contrary to section 131(1) of the Criminal Offences Act of 1960, Act 29.

The Court presided over by Her Honour Halima El-Alawa Abdul-Basit, has remanded him into police custody until April 26.

EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, reports that a bench warrant has also been issued for the arrest of one Alhaji Dramani Wayo, said to be an accomplice.

The accused on July 2016 is said to have managed to obtain the consent of the senior high ranking Police Officer to part ways with one Caterpillar D343 Generator plant valued at $15, 000.

This, the prosecution said was done by means of certain false Pretence that if given the Caterpillar generator plant, he could sell same and return the proceeds.

But, ever since, went into hiding until his arrest on March this year, seven years later.

Brief facts

The brief facts of the case presented to the court by Inspector A Offeibea, who was holding Chief Inspector John Gohoho’s brief were that the complainant is a senior police officer with the rank of a DCOP, stationed at the Police Headquarters Accra.

Whilst the accused person, Jeffery Owusu is a trader and lives at Speiman, Accra.

The Prosecution said, in July 2016, the complainant was offering his Caterpillar D343 Generator plant valued $15,000.00 for sale and was introduced to the accused person who expressed interest of having a client who is ready to buy same.

It added that the complainant released the generator to the accused person to show same to his client for inspection.

The Accused person, the prosecution said, after having collected the generator failed to return same and went into hiding.

“On 20/02/2017, a case was made to the Police and accused person was arrested,” the prosecution told the court.

“He (accused) admitted the offence in his cautioned statement and pleaded with the Police to return the generator or the money to the complainant.”

Hideout

The prosecution told the court that, though the accused was released on Police enquiry bail with the promise of returning the generator or the money, he reneged on the promise and again went into hiding.

It said all efforts made by the Police to trace the accused person to his hideout proven futile.

“A forfeiture bond served on the surety to provide the accused person also fell on deaf ear,” the prosecution noted.

On March 27, 2023, however, it said, a similar case was made against the accused person and the complainant led the Police to arrest the accused person at his hideout.

“During interrogation, accused stated that he sold the said Caterpillar D343 generator plant to one Alhaji Dramani Wayo in Kumasi and led Police to Kumasi to the said Alhaji Dramani Wayo,” it stated.

But, the “Police met the absence of Alhaji Dramani Wayo and when Police invited him on phone, he told Police he will never report to any Police.

The prosecution said after investigation, the accused person was charged with the offence and put before this Honourable Court.